Figure 1 shows the speed-time graph of a cyclist moving on a straight road over a 7 s period - Edexcel - A-Level Maths Mechanics - Question 1 - 2006 - Paper 1

Since the graph is parallel to the t-axis, it indicates that the cyclist is moving with a constant speed during this interval. The speed does not change, meaning the cyclist is not accelerating or decelerating.

To calculate the distance travelled, we can analyze the graph. The area under the speed-time graph represents the distance. From t = 0 to t = 3, the distance can be calculated using the area of a triangle:

$\text{Area} = \frac{1}{2} \times \text{base} \times \text{height} = \frac{1}{2} \times 3 \times 5 = 7.5 \text{ m}$

From t = 3 to t = 7, the distance can be calculated using the area of a rectangle:

$\text{Area} = \text{length} \times \text{width} = 4 \times 5 = 20 \text{ m}$

Now, adding both areas together gives us the total distance:

$\text{Total Distance} = 7.5 ext{ m} + 20 ext{ m} = 27.5 ext{ m}$

Thus, the total distance travelled by the cyclist during the 7 s period is 27.5 m.